Electric signal and recording system.



A. L. SOHM. ELECTRIC SIGNAL AND RECORDING SYSTEM.

APPLIOATIOI rum) APR. 20, 1910.

1,'0 96,1 36. Patented May 12, 1914,

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PatentedMay 12,1914.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1910.

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ALFRED LOUIS SOHM, DE LOS ANGELES. CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNOR TO SOHM ELECTRIC SIGNAL & RECORDING COMPANY. OF ARIZONA.

OF SPOKANE. WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION ELECTRIC SIGNAL AND RECORDING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 20, 1910.

Patented May 12, 1914. Serial No.,556,628.

To ((71 111710221 it may (mace r12;

Be it known that I, ALFRED L. Sonar, a l citizen of the United States, and resident of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented cer-. tain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signal and Recording Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric signal and recording systems and contemplates an improved arrangement of register and indicating mechanisms whereby numerous results, useful in the conduct of an industrial establishment, are secured.

Thus, it is the object of my invention to provide an in and out register, for recording the times of arrival and departure of various employees, a watchmans register, for recording the visits of the watchman on his round or beat, all in a single system and with the same recording machine.

As an additional feature, I rovide means whereby a recording lock may e included in the system and may operate in conjunction with the recording machine.

I provide a signal clock and a burglar alarm arrangement as auxiliary features which may also be included in the general arrangement.

It is the principal object of lay-invention to combine these various features in a simple system with a'minimum number of con ductors and, since the various records are made upon one machine, it is necessary to identify them, and in this respect I provide novel printing means which involves the association of additive and differential windings so that, although the current may pass instances, still the identifying mechanism will be operated only under certain conditions.

The system of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure .1 is a diagrammatic representation of part thereof; Fig. 1 is a supplement merge with the line A'A of Fig. 1'; Fig.2 is a diagrammatic representation of the watchmans station; Fig. 3 is a more or less diagrammatic representation of the recording machine and some of the directly associated parts; Fig. 4 is a more or less diagrammatic representation of a visual signal which will be referred to; and Fig. 5 is a more or less diagrammatic representation of the in and out indicating mechanism.

I shall first refer to that part of m improved system which has to do Witii the in and out registrations for employees.

Referring first to F ig. 1, it will be seen that I provide a so-called "entrance plate indicated broadly by the reference character E. This entrance plate is provided With two sets of switches, each set comprising a plurality of switches numbered from one to nine, and one of said sets having an auxiliary switch marked 0. The set on the right is the units column and it will be noted that one element' of each of the switches of the units column is individually connected by means of a conductor 18 with a units printing magnet 19, which will be referred to later, the other sides of these units magnets being connected to a common conductor 20. These units magnets have been numbered from zero to nine to correspond to the switches with which they are connected. The other column on the entrance plate is the tens column and it will be noted that one element of each of these switches is individually connected by means of a conductor 21 with a printing ma net 22, the magnets 22 being numbered rom one to nine to correspond to the switches, being referred to hereinafter as the tens printing magnets. The other sides of these tens printing magnets are connected to a common conductor 23. The common conductor 20 is connected with one terminal of a winding 10 on the special printing magnet 5, while the common conductor 23 is connected with one terminal of the winding 9 on this magnet. The windings 9 and 10 are wound additively and the battery 13 is connected between their free terminals. The battery 13 has the central tap 12 which leads to one terminal of a winding 11, mounted upon the core 8 of the magnet 5, and the other terminal of the winding 11 is connected with a conductor 16 which has the common leads 14 and 15 connecting all the elements, other than those already mentioned, of the two sets of switches on the entrance plate together. The winding 11 is wound differentially relative to the windin 9 and 10 and it will now be seen, by following the an cuits, that when any of the units switches, zero to nine, or tens switches, one to nine, on the entrance plate, are closed, current will flow through the corresponding print: ing magnet and through one or the other of the windin s 9 and 10 and through the winding 11. T is neutralizes the magnet 5 and the printing mechanism assoclated therewith, as will be described presently, will not be operated. The units common conductor 20 has serially connected therein the main operating magnet 20*, which is thu s energized whenever the unit registration 1S made and which results in the in or out and the time registration, as will be pointed out.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that each of the units magnets 19 is provided with an armature 19 in the form of a bell crank lever, and with a type bar 19", mounted upon the same pivot therewith. A pin 19 on the bell crank lever engages the type bar when the armature is attracted and the type bar is thrown upwardly against a stationary platen P, between which and the type bar the inking ribbon R and the strip of paper S are passed. Thus, when any one of the magnets19 is energized the corresponding type bar is thrown up and the number is printed upon the strip of paper. The magnets 22 are of the same construction as the magnets 19 and the various parts are provided with corresponding lettering to indicate this similarity. It will be understood, of course, that the magnets 19 and 22 are suitably arranged so that the magnets 19 will print in the units column on the strip of paper while the magnets 22 will print in the tens columns on the strip of paper. In order that the capacity of the machine may be increased, I provide a special magnet which is adapted to print the figure 1 in the hundreds column. This magnet is shown at 100*, being connected on one side to the tens common conductor and on the other side with a special switch, marked 100 on the entrance plate. This switch is adapted to connect the printing magnet 100 with the conductor 16 which leads to thebattery, and in this way the magnet referred to is energized. The magnet 100 is of a similar construction as the magnet 19, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the various parts have been correspondingly lettered to bring out this similarity. The electromagnet 5 is also constructed similarly to the magnet 19, as indicated in Fig. 3, except that it has three windings instead of one, and here also the *armature and the associated parts have been "correspondingly lettered. It will be understood that, while the magnets 19 print in the units column and the magnets 22 print in the tens column, the magnet 100 prints in the hundreds'column, while the magnet 5 may print in a separate column, the various magnets being grouped about the printing point in any suitable manner.

Associated with the printing electromagnets 19, 22, 100 and 5 is the printing mech anism M. This printing mechanism is sta tionary and is disposed below the plane through which the paper strip and the ribbon is carried. My invention is not con cerned with the detailed construction of this mechanism and I, therefore, indicate it merely diagrammatically. It will be under stood that this mechanism may be of any of the wellknown types which constitute several type wheels to indicate the date and time of day, the various type wheels being advanced by electromagnetic mechanism, the circuit of which is controlled by a master clock C and includes a battery B. The platen for this printing mechanism M is movable, as is indicated at P. This platen is carried by a solenoid core C and this core is actuated by the energization of the winding 20 which has h'ereinbefore been referred to. It will be apparent that when the winding 20 is energized, the platen P will be brought down upon the type of the printing mechanism M, and a registration of the time of day and date is had. It will now be clear that when an employee wishes to make a registration, assuming his number to be 24, he will pres the number 2 button in the tens column of the entrance plate and this will energize the number 2" tens magnet and a 2 will be printed in the tens column. He will also press the number 1 button in the units column and the number 4 units magnet will be energized to print a 4 in the units column. When he makes this last named circuit he will also energize the winding 20 and the platen P is brought down so that the date and time of day may be printed upon the strip opposite the number. If his number were 124 he would also press the 100 button on the entrance plate and the proper registration would be had.

'It will be noted that when he presses one of the tens buttons the current will travel through the windings 9 and 11 and half of the battery, the winding 10 remaining inert. The two energized windings will neutralize each other and the magnet 5 will not pull up its armature. When he presses one of the units buttons the windings 10 and 11 will be energized through the other half of the battery and here again the armature 5 will not be attracted. The 100 button operates over the tens circuit in the same way Cir indication exposed through and here again the armature remains inert.

It will be clear that when an employee makes'a registration itis desirable to know whether he is coming or. going and for this purpose a special printing wheel I is provided in association with the platen P. as indicated in Fig. 3. This printing wheel has two sets of characters '21 and o, and either of these sets of characters may be brought into the printin line. One of them prints the in and the other prints the indication out. The position of the printing wheel I is controlled by the magnets 27 and 32 which are the in and out magnets, respectively. These magnets control a common armature 32*, which is operatively connected with the printing mechanism, as shown in Flg. hen the magnet 27 1S energized the in indication is brought into the printing line and when the magnet 32 is energized the out indication is brought into the printing line. There are two corresponding magnets and in association with the entrance plate, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4. The magnets 23 and 30 control a common armature 25*. which is mechanically connected with an indicating disk 30*. This indicating wheel carries the indications out and in and either of them may be an opening in the plate, as indicated in Fig. 4. The magnet 25 is'connected in series with the magnet-27, with the winding 10, half the battery. the winding 11, the conductor 16, and the in switch 16' on the entrance plate. The magnet 30 is con nected in series with the magnet 32, the windings 9 and 11, half the battery. the conductor 16, and the out button 17 on the entrance plate. When an employee wishes to make a registration and sees that the in or out indication is improper. he presses the proper button and simultaneously causes the indicating mechanism to change over and the printing wheel I to shift so that the proper indication will be brought into the printing line. As an auxiliary feature. I ro\'ide a mistake button 4.8 on the entrance plate, this button controlling the circuit of the mistake magnet 50. This mistake magnet is constructed like the magnets 19 and 5 its type bar carries a cross. as shown, to indicate that the registration previously made is not to be regarded. hen an employee makes a mistake he then presses the mistake button so as to bring the cross into the printing line. The winding 2O may be made to control the mechanism for advancing the paper and it is apparent that it this is the case, the mistake magnet must. be energized .without the energization of the winding 20 and the cross may be printed upon the same line with the erroneous registration.

In Fig. 1*, at 6. I show a terminal strip provided with twosets of terminals numbered from one to zero inclusive. The righthand set are correspondingly connected with the various units printing magnets by means of the conductors 35, While the left-hand set is correspondingly connected with the tens printing magnets by means of the conductors 21. For the employees registrations no zero magnet is required in the tens column and none is, therefore, provided in that connect-ion. However, there is a zero magnet provided in the tens column, as indicated in Fig. 1, and this magnet is conn'ected with the extra terminal, zero, of the watchmans terminal strip 6. Each of the pairs of terminals of the strip 6 are connect- Fig. 2. This station comprises a spring jack, comprising the springs 52 and 51, and when a plug is inserted the circuit is closed. It will be noted from Fig. 2 that the two sides of the watchmans station circuit are closed together at three points, first, between the springs 52, 52; second between one of the springs 51 and the corresponding spring 52; and third between the other spring 52 and the other spring 51. If anyone of these contacts are contaminated with substances which would tend to break the circuit, the circuit can be closed ateither of the other points and in this way extra precaution is taken without unduly complicating the circuit. The watchmans station circuit, which is connected between the pairs of terminals of the strip 6, includes an electromagnet 50 which controls an armature 50 This armature carries a tread 50 which is exposed before an opening 50. so that the watchman, when he has inserted his plug. may know that he has madehis registration. It will be noted that the circuit across each pair of terminais in the terminal strip includes the corresponding units magnet. the corresponding tens magnet. all of the battery. and the windings 9 and 10 to the exclusion of the winding 11. Since the windings 9 and 10 are wound additirely. and since the winding 11. remains inert. the core 8 is energized and the armature 5 is brought into play. The type bar 5 carries a star or some other characteristic indication and thus whenever the watclnnan makes a registration it will be identified by the printing of this star. This at once shows that the registration is by a watchman and the number which follows it, such as '11 or 66. will indicate which box has been operated.

A. recording lock is indicated at 7. This recording lock is provided with a plurality of contacts 40. t0 which are connected by means of conductors 42, 4:2 with certain of the units printing magnets. Interposed between these contacts are other contacts. which are connected with the zero magnet Since the registration of the. tens column. It wiper 40 is provided and when a key operated in the lock it turns this wiper and any two of the contacts may be bridged. and in this way the registration 01, ()2. etc may be obtained. in the units column is preceded by a zero in the lens column, the registration will at once be identified as that of a lock. The leads from the various con tacts are lettered to indicate their connecl'lmb with the parts of the recording machine. It will be understood that different keys cause the bridging of different contacts so that the registration will show which key it was that opened the lock. In order that the registration may show whether the lock was opened or closed. further contacts 40 and 40 are provided. these contacts being closed by whatever key is used. The con tarts 40 are connected up by the conductors ST and 38 in the out circuit, which has been described. and it will be noted that when these contacts are bridged the printing wheel I of therecording mechanism will be kept or brought into the position to nzake the proper indication. The same operation is had in the other case through the conductors 36 and 3S.

A clock IV is provided with a plurality of contacts w, cc which are connected by the circuit wires 43 and 44 with the battery. This circuit includes the magnet 44* which may be constructed like the magnets 19 and which may make a characteristic print indicating that an arrival has come late.

An alarm circuit 45 and 46 is connected across circuit of the contacts or the lock 7 and the arrangement is such that these contacts cannot be bridged by any authorized key. If, however, they are bridged by some key it will at once be evident that the key is unauthorized, and that burglary is being perpetrated. In such a case the alarms will be set off in an obvious manner.

I claim as new and desire to secure by ters Patent:

1. In an electric signal and recording system, a plurality of printing magnets arranged to print on a common printing line, circuits forsaid magnets, switches controlling said circuits, auxiliary circuits connect-- edin parallel with said first named circuits, switches controlling said auxiliary circuits, and a special printing magnet controlling an identifying character arranged to print in said printing line, said magnet having two additive and one differential Windin said windings being difi'erentially incluc ed in said first named circuits and additively included in said second named circuits.

2. In an electric signal and recording system, a plurality of tens printing magnets,

circuits for said tens printing 1nagnets, a plurality of units printing magnets, cir- Let- 1 l l l cuits for said units printing magnets, an entrance plate, tens switches on said en trance plate, units switches on said entrance plate, said switches respectively controlling said magnets, time'printing mechanism, and an elcctromagnet for operating said time printing mechanism, said electromagnet being included in the units circuits, said printmg mechanism and said magnets being arranged to print in a common printing line.

3. In an electric signal and recording system, a plurality of electromagnets, a swinging type bar controlled by each of said elect-romagnets and arranged to print in a common printing line, circuits for said electro' magnets, a switch for independently controlling each of said electromagnets, a special type wheel having in and out indications arranged to print in said printing line, two electromagnets for controlling said type wheel, and switches for controlling the cir cuits of said type wheel electromagnets.

4. In an electric signal and recording system, a plurality of printing magnets arranged to print in a common printing line, circuits for said magnets, switches for controlling said magnets individually, a special printing electromagnet having a characteristic indication arranged to print in said printing line, and a special switch for controlling said special electromagnet.

5. In an electric signal and recording system a plurality of electrom agnet-s,circuits for said electromagncts, a swinging type bar controlled by each of said electromagnets, said type bars being arranged to print in a common printing line, a switch for independently controlling each of said electromagnets, :1 special type wheel having in and out indications arranged to print in said printin line, two electromagnets for controlling said type wheel, circuits for the two electromagnets, switches for controlling the circuits of said type wheel electromagnets, a visual in and out signal associated with said last named switches, and elect-romagnets controlling said in and out signal associated with said last named switches, said last named electromagnets being connected in respective series with said in and out electromagnets so as to operate them together.

(3. In an electric signal and recording system, a plurality of printing electromagnets arranged to print in a common printing line, circuits for said elect-romagnets, a plurality of switches for individually controlling said electromagnets. a second plurality of switches for controlling certain of said electromagnets, a printing wheel having two indications thereon and arranged to print in said printing line, electromagnetic means for shifting said printing wheel from one indication to the other, switches for controlling said electromagnetic mechanism, and a second set of switches associated with said station adapted to he energized upon closure 10 second plurality of switches for controlling of the circuit, and an indicating target consa'id electromagnetic mechanism. trolled by said electromagnet.

7. In an'electric signal and recording sys- Signed at Los Angeles, in the county of 5- tem, a printing magnet, a circuit for said LosAn'geles, and State of California.

printing magnet, a watchma-ns station con- ALFRED LOUIS SOHM. nected with said printing magnet, said \Vitnesses: watchmans station comprising means for F. W. HART,

closing the circuit, an electromagnet at the J. S. ZERBE. 

